Questions I Asked Countryside Alliance Today.

[skycat 6,172]

OK, so there are more than a few who have the ability to string words together. The next step would be to have a session, where everyone who is willing to actually do something about this situation, gets together and puts forward a plan of action. Personally, I think the idea of buying a licence to hunt certain species, with a number they are allowed to kill, is a good one. It might sound draconian to us who formerly went out and killed what we liked with no one to tell us how many or how. But, if there was a strict law in writing which stated you were allowed to hunt hare with one dog, for the pot, not for resale, and most certainly not left on the ground to rot: why would that in any way deter or change those who flout the ban now? I can't see it happening, truthfully. It would be a case, once again, of the few bringing the rest into disrepute, and with the media only interested in further tarnishing lurcher ownership you can imagine the field day they'd have getting the bunny huggers all irate and horrified.

The only way change is going to come is if sensible hunters from all field sports unite, once and for all, and make more noise, putting their ethos forward as a humane, ecologically-sound practice. Hunting for meat is far more acceptable than hunting for sport. Dog caught meat carries no lead shot, etc etc. though of course, if anyone dares to suggest that shooting might not be as environmentally friendly as dog work ... hey ho, another division in the ranks.

Not trying to sound pessimistic or anything, but any action would be fraught with innumerable traps and pitfalls.

[dog man 176]

Yes but I do agree with you but let's do something we are spending all the time just saying what if and they will do that let's put something together better than doing feck all but be organised and do our homework have all the answers ready before we start but have a big voice are no one will listen small voice they will feck you off big voice they have to listen to something.

[desertbred 5,490]

If Hares are left uncontrolled they will eventually become a vermin or pest and not as they are now a game species The same goes for virtually all wildlife that is hunted t o varying degrees .I Ccan flush hares to guns with my dogs same with foxes but my dogs cannot hunt and kill them except in very very limited circumstances to comply with the rediculous Hunting Act. I am for ever explaining to my dogs the law does not allow them to hunt and kill hares and fox for themselves but once they are off the slip they become a law unto themselves even retrieving the products of their crimes to my hands thus implicating me and rendering me liable to a criminal case. i ve told them the land owner andthelaw will only allowusto drive game or hunt rabbits and those folk lined outacross the fild with the firesticks only have the rights to kill certain stuff not us. Most folk would have difficulty to destinguish between a dog coursing a Hare or a big buck rabbit but when told that the hares get torn apart by drunken drug crazed gamblersthen they understand and want coursing banned. Strange how the true picture can be distorted isnt it So why am I criminalsed for despatching certain game and certain vermin with my highly trained dogs ? THEN I am supposed to accept it and not rock the flimsiest of boats whilst others are prevented from persuing their chosen activities? and whats more be greatful for it.

Edited April 12, 2017 by desertbred

[skycat 6,172]

This, then, is the crux of the matter: that shooters can and do go out and shoot anything they want to, and the fact that those animals do not always die quickly and cleanly is disregarded entirely. They have taken our hunting away from us on the grounds that killing with dogs is inhumane. Yet it comes down to money again, and a very well organised, highly-lucrative industry which is well represented in all the corridors of power. Strange, when you consider that the running dog was once the preserve of the landed and titled. Those same landed and titled who have now banned hunting with dogs.

Unfortunately, we are not the only country where hare coursing has been banned. Squeamish made sense when saying that the name of an activity should be changed. Coursing implies sport. Whereas a term that implies the efficient and speedy control of an animal that needs culling might make single dog running hares more acceptable. I dream: it's great to think we can change the law of the land, but unless we have the sort of numbers and infrastructure of an organisation like BASC we are definitely dreaming.

[desertbred 5,490]

Minority forces are quite capable of turning tides in a war if they are trained , led from the front by capable people , believe in what they are fighting for and are prepared to get down amongst it when the going gets tough. Thats where the problem is from my view point you have to be able to rely on your comrades not to turn tail or show the white flag and experience tells me that is the achillese heal in the dog world. I wouldnt want any numbers on what I can hunt with my dogs common sense is always the yardstick and licence fee I would be prepared to pay most would scream poverty if asked to pay at all but thats the mentality of some folk anything for nothing. Those that break the law as a way of life would continue to do so, those who are pressed into disregarding a Law rather than giving up on what they and generations before have done would willingly pay to be within the parimeters of legal activity.Is it only Hare coursers who drive land and break laws? I dont think so not by a long stretch but some have a holier than thow attitude and assume thier activities are by devine right and they are Teflon coated, they are in cloud cuckoo land and the Lacs are targetting all hunting and even fishing, horse and dog racing activities shooting . pigeon racing wont be spared either if the rot is not stopped and removed.

Edited April 12, 2017 by desertbred

[stone rose 353]

db fb and land drivers have ruined our sport beyond repair fact im affraid you can discuse this all day long march till your feet drop off nothing will change the damage is done end of old pal

[Saluki71 110]

The countryside alliance do nothing for the lurcher man, they even put a motion forward that They would support a ban on coursing if fox hunting stayed legal. How often do you see coursing articles in the countrymans as oppose to hunts gathering who are obviously going hunting?

Oh, I was present at that meeting and couldn't believe what I was hearing.

After all if the countryside alliance had accepted the labour party's licensing of hunting everybody would still be hunting now without fear of persecution.

[desertbred 5,490]

You know the ones wanting to represent now say "STOP LOOKING BACK" No wonder with skeletons behind every cupboard and locker door thats opened . Knives in many a back one thinks.

Edited April 12, 2017 by desertbred

[Accip74 7,112]

They stamped out running dogs maybe a hundred years ago in most of north west europe......why? Nothing to do with perceived cruelty as I understand, but more protecting land & game for the gun or the privileged, however you want to see it. It's never going to come back & the more I think about it, something similar has happened in the UK under the guise of a supposed hunting with dogs ban.

Keep hold of what you've got left ffs, because the only people who can legally hunt round here, are those that can afford it with a gun. Atb

[desertbred 5,490]

They stamped out running dogs maybe a hundred years ago in most of north west europe......why? Nothing to do with perceived cruelty as I understand, but more protecting land & game for the gun or the privileged, however you want to see it. It's never going to come back & the more I think about it, something similar has happened in the UK under the guise of a supposed hunting with dogs ban.

Keep hold of what you've got left ffs, because the only people who can legally hunt round here, are those that can afford it with a gun. Atb

People will be running dogs infinitum legally or illegally but its always wise to know who are sticking the knives into your back whilst masqerading as well wishers. As Saluki71 post emphasises ,so the join the groups AWL and C/A and support whom and what excactly ? Edited April 12, 2017 by desertbred

[Squeamish5 309]

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130123162956/http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/hunting/inquiry/evidence/lurcherclubs2.htm

There's another doc on this archive specifically pertaining to lurchers. . As most people posting on this thread are older grownups, perhaps (probs) you're all already familiar with them, or anyway the info contained. Found them both through NL&RC which haven't seen mentioned so maybe defunct or not an org you value. For me (a non hunter who isn't against hunting) they were very interesting . Wh'evs. Not my fight. I'm a bit more 'hello clouds, hello sky' re nature.

[skycat 6,172]

Thanks for mentioning that squeamish: Deb Blount put the lurcher submission together. I think it was very well written and comprehensive, but did they listen? Did they hell! I also heard that the vote to ban hunting was held before the Burns report was ever read or looked into. Can anyone verify this?

[Flynn 314]

Thanks for mentioning that squeamish: Deb Blount put the lurcher submission together. I think it was very well written and comprehensive, but did they listen? Did they hell! I also heard that the vote to ban hunting was held before the Burns report was ever read or looked into. Can anyone verify this?

I have that submission here, I will see if Alan is well enough to verify ...

[Limpo 23]

 

Limpo the point I'm trying to make is all people who hunt with Lurchers should join together and voice their opinion. The AwL is there for anyone to join and to do just that. Instead of people bickering join the club and help structure it. I shoot and was a member of BASC for years but have recently joined the CA because I feel they will be more involved with Lurchers than BASC ever will and you still get insurance. The more lurcher owners that join CA and AwL they will sit up and take notice. It's roughly the same price to join the CA as it is BASC. I don't shoot as much as I did but always take my gun with me when out with the dog.

 

I think where people coming from is they don't want to be represented by the CA, its done nothing for us at all by large, nor do they want to join an organisation that isnt in their line of hunting, the old ways don't work, the CA will not do anything for lurcher men no matter how many join, we all know that their priorities don't lay along the same path as ours, yea they would pay us lip service too get our coin but they haven't and wont do anything, well except cut us adrift once they got said money, they have made no real attempt too make us want to join either, they big organisations and I doubt they would really want to be stuck with our fight as well as what they do now,

 

Think the off put for a lot of lurcher owners with AWL is that in its code of conduct it says work within the law, which is at odds with a lot of what people do, even them with permission, what people really want is somebody to go for full repeal, they just don't want to be the one too do it lol they want somebody too argue our side of the coin not half hearted or as a secondary issue as it would be too the likes of the CA etc.

Pretty well my drift mate. Firstly good on people taking the time to form and run the AWL a thankless task running any group of this nature. I can see why they ask members operate within the law although they should be maybe asking for repeal in stronger terms.

As for the CA they couldn't give a toss about Lurcher work. They are like a different breed of people to Lurchermen, the only way you'd normally meet one of them is with his cap out at the game fair or if he employed you to clean his drains.